After the Manga: Happily Ever After
by hms5375
Summary: This is just my imagination working when I can't sleep, thinking of what came after the final chapter. Rated M for some intimate moments, nothing too bad. My first fanfic. Due to lack of internet, this story on hold.
1. Chapter 1

Just a note, I do not own any of the characters in the Inuyasha series. This is just stuff that popped in my head one night when I couldn't sleep. I was disappointed at the lack of those "awkward moments" that new couples endure, I remember my first kiss I ended up with a fat lip because we were so nervous we leaned in too fast and missed at the last moment when we closed our eyes. Of course, that was a long time ago. I tried to keep it innocent, but there are some intimate moments, especially in chapter 7. Let me just confess that even though I was alone in the house while writing this, I was still a little embarrassed to be writing some of those moments, so I did my best. Just don't be too critical about them, please! I will try to update when I can, let me know if it is worth continuing or I should just give it up and focus on my real job...

**Random thoughts of lead characters:**

Miroku- She has returned, let's hope she can once again heal Inuyasha's heart. Her backside is just as lovely as ever...

Sango- Kagome has come back to Inuyasha! She has definetly matured in the last three years, my husband BETTER be able to keep his hands to himself.

Shippo- Kagome's back! At least we won't have to see Inuyasha so pathetic and sad anymore. I hope she brought plenty of candy...

Kaede- The strange child has returned, but as a young woman. Does she still have purpose here, or is this her heart's wish for happiness?

Rin- Kagome? She was always nice to me, and she always had those really good blobs of sugar...

Jaken exclaims "Lord Sesshomaru, it's Kagome!!"

Kagome sees Sesshomaru and Jaken. She can not resist the temptation, and shouts "Brother-in-law!"

Sesshomaru- So the dirty half-breed gets what he wants, isn't it always so? Why am I so forsaken; first by Father leaving his most powerful fang for the whelp, now by the Gods who will not allow me the contentment of a mate but will bring one through the folds of time for him?

**The return (a little more detail): **

When Kagome thought of being with Inuyasha, she had to go to the well. It wasn't the tree, but it was where she could not just remember him, but hope to one day see him again. What she wouldn't give to see him climb from the well to get her because she had been gone too long. She stared into the well as she had many times in the last three years and wondered what he was doing, and if he was OK. She hated being away from him, even when they were still looking for the jewel shards. At least she knew that the dangers the jewel brought were over, Naraku was defeated, and after the battle it seemed that even though they weren't best friends Inuyasha and Sesshomaru got along enough to not try to kill each other.

Of course she missed the others as well: Miroku and Sango, Shippo, Kaede, Kirara, and wondered how Rin and Kohaku were doing. Miroku and Sango should have children of their own, they were married after Naraku was defeated. Did everyone stay in the village, or did they go back to where they came from? Did Sango and Kohaku rebuild the slayer's village? Did Inuyasha leave the village after she left? He wasn't even able to be with Kikyo, she was laid to rest... again. Hopefully at least Shippo would have stayed with him, but he wanted to learn to be a better Kitsune.

She stared into the dark, dry well and tried to remember every moment she spent with them. She couldn't help to think of all the tender moments she shared with the hanyou, even though they never could seem to tell each other exactly how they felt. She was glad she was able to come back and graduate, she had worked so hard to accomplish this while helping Inuyasha find all the shards of the jewel that she broke. She had made no plans to continue her education or to find work after school was done. She concentrated all the hope her heart could hold to the thought that she would not need to make plans for her future, because she wished her future would lead her to the past.

Mom walked by the well's shed and seen the door open yet again. She was not surprised to see her daughter staring longingly into the Bone Eater's well. She knew Kagome loved Inuyasha, and missed him and the rest of her friends terribly. She entered the shed to comfort her daughter, she should have been so happy today! She was finally done with school, but she had applied for no further education and showed no interest of beginning a career. Mom felt so much pity for her daughter, she, too, had lost the one she loved after all. She asked Kagome what was wrong and found such a heartbreaking expression on the young woman's face. It was worse today than other days.

Kagome only said her name, and a single tear fell into the well. As they both stared into the well, the dirt floor seemed to change to reflect the sky."Mom... I'm..."

"Kagome... If your heart truly wants to be with him, you should not hesitate. You do not want to miss your one chance to be loved and happy. We will miss you, but the sacred tree will not let us forget you. I would rather know you are happy elsewhere, than see the pain in your face if you remain here."

"Mom, I love you! Grandpa and Souta, too! But I really have to go!" And with a jump she was absorbed by a soft, blue light.

Inuyasha was getting annoyed by the twins, but even though he never said it he was glad they weren't afraid of him. They accepted him as he was. Before Kagome had freed him from the tree, he had never known unconditional acceptance since the death of his mother. He had seen his mother's tears because of others not accepting him for what he was, nor did they accept her because she was his mother. Even Kikyo wanted him to change, she would have rather seen him human. No time in his life had he felt he belonged anywhere, until Kagome. He had known pretty much from the time he had first met her that he belonged by her side. For so long he had hid those feelings, even from himself. He knew that he was alone in life and had accepted it, so why was his heart trying to convince him otherwise? The twins were playing with his ears again, something Kagome was fond of as well. He missed her so much, but even though he could not give up the dream of her returning to him, every time he had gone to the well she was not there. Sometimes he would jump in, to see if by chance the well had reopened. He was always dissapointed and walked away with a deep ache in his heart.

As the twins' parents scolded them for bothering him, and he passed them to Shippo so he could take the abuse for a while, a gentle breeze passed him. He picked up a familiar scent, but feared it was just wishful thinking. He had to see for himself, and could barely keep his feet still. He ran to the well as fast as he could, and got there just as the blue light was disappearing. He seen her hand come to the top of the well, and reached in to help her out. He was afraid that as she emerged from the well, she would vanish and he would wake to find it all a dream. She stood on the rim of the well and he held her hand, refusing to let go in case it was actually a dream. Her eyes filled with tears and she said she was sorry. Typical Kagome. "Were you waiting?" He couldn't help but take her into his arms, feeling her warmth and trying to convince himself that she was really here.


	2. Chapter 2

**The first day back: **

Kaede was relieved to see the reincarnation of her older sister. She had felt so alone since both Kikyo and Kagome were gone. She had Rin to keep her company, but she had considered Kagome her own. She wondered what brought the miko back from her own time, if there was still something to fear. She hoped that it was the love between the half-demon and the girl... woman was so strong that even time could not keep them apart. She was relieved for Inuyasha, he was growing so restless in the years that his heart was broken.

Miroku and Sango filled Kagome in about all the stuff she had missed, told her about the twins, and their newest child: the son that Miroku had wanted and once asked Kagome to bear for him. They told her that Kohaku had left to become a better demon slayer, and how Sesshomaru left Rin in Kaede's custody, but came to check on her often and give her gifts. They said how much more peaceful it was without the Sacred Jewel, but Miroku complained that it made it harder to make an honest living and provide for his family.

Shippo jumped into Kagome's lap and proudly showed her his latest rank in his Kitsune training. After that was done he looked around by her and asked where her bag was, saying that he could really go for some candy. She explained that the well reopened so quickly, she didn't want it to close just as quickly and miss her only chance to return. With a hint of sadness in her eyes she told them how she left without telling Souta and Grandpa goodbye.

Kaede came and took her away, then. She led Kagome to her hut, and asked if she would talk for a while about something very important. Kagome sensed some tension but also some relief in the old miko's voice. Kaede told Kagome, "I am getting old, child. I was wondering who would take my place when I am no longer able to do what a priestess is meant to do. Rin has helped greatly, she is always eager to assist me with herb gathering and some errands. She even helped with the birthing of Sango's son. However the child has no spiritual power, and I do not want to leave the village without a proper successor. Are ye here for good, child?" Kagome replied, "I think so, I didn't think to check the well again but I am sure that it was a one way trip this time. I will accept that as my fate and I have no regrets of my decision to return to Inuyasha." Kaede was not disapointed, Kagome was so much like Kikyo before her life was affected by the Sacred Jewel. The old miko smiled and said "Then ye must start training. Ye have more power than ye realize, and we need to get ye ready to use it." Kagome was a little worried by the eagerness in Kaede's voice, and couldn't keep the thought to herself: "Is there some reason you are so eager to get a replacement? You... You aren't sick or anything, are you?" Kaede laughed and replied, "No, child. I suppose I am as well as I was when we first met, I am just tired. And as I said, this village is my responsibility and I do not want to leave my post vacant when I get too tired. The perverted priest is here, of course, but he has a family to care for and is always away from the village with Inuyasha working to provide for them. There are still youkai around that people will pay to be rid of."

At the mention of Inuyasha's name, Kagome's brow creased as if she were deep in thought. She asked the old woman, "How... Has Inuyasha been OK while I was gone? I was gone so long and wondered about him every day. He was always so protective of me and would come after me if I stayed away too long. It was so hard for me to not be able to get to him, he must have been..." she trailed off thinking about all the times she had checked the well hoping to see him again. Kaede offered her a small, but somewhat sad smile. Kaede handed Kagome miko robes, and told her to change into them. She began, "At first we were worried. He would run away from the village and stay alone. He would always return, and after a while each absence was getting shorter. It seemed like he realized he didn't have to be alone, and soon he started going on jobs with Miroku and thus returned to normal. He still carried a heavy sadness where ever he went, but he didn't seem so gripped in misery once he had a way to keep busy." As if on cue, Inuyasha shouted outside, "Where is she? I have waited for her long enough and I want some time with her, too!"

Inuyasha was getting impatient, and stormed into Kaede's hut. "Come on, stupid! If you were going to hide from me, why did you come back in the first place?" Way to go, dog boy! He knew she missed everyone, and she had to get used to life without all her fancy stuff from the future. Sensitivity was still not one of his more pronounced assets. He prepared for the "Sit!" he knew was coming, but it never reached him. He looked at Kagome, confused, and found a sad but sympathetic look on her face. She took his arm, and softly told him that he wouldn't have to wait much longer and she would be right out as soon as she and Kaede worked out some details of her training. Then she got up on her toes and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, which in response turned red. He left the hut rubbing the place where her lips touched him, unable to speak. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo looked at him, wondering what could have caused such a blush. She emerged a minute later with a basket in her hand, put her hand in Inuyasha's and announced to their confused audience that she needed to gather some herbs for Kaede and they would be back before dark.


	3. Chapter 3

**Catching up:**

They reached the meadow that Kaede sent her to, and Kagome remembered enough from before she left to get the herbs the old priestess needed. She had a full basket in a matter of minutes. They sat on the warm grass and stared at each other for a minute, neither sure what to say at first. Inuyasha nervously asked how her "school" had been going. Kagome's face brightened and with a triumphant smile as she explained that she was all done, she had finally finished and did not need to go back. Ever. Once the first words were spoken, the rest just flowed. They talked about Rin, Sesshomaru, Kohaku, how life in the village had changed since the jewel was gone. Inuyasha mentioned the twins' fascination with his ears, and said he just didn't get why everyone felt the need to play with them. Kagome responded, " The first time I saw you, I had this undeniable need to rub them. When you first came to my house to get me, Mom had the same urge. I think it is just because they are so adorable." "They're not _that _adorable! Jeez!" Inuyasha yelled. He liked that no one here feared him anymore, but he didn't want to be _adorable_, either. Kagome smiled. "So maybe adorable isn't the correct word. It might be how the twins see them, but I think you wouldn't be quite as handsome without them. They make you, well, you." She looked from his ears to his amber eyes. When their eyes met, they both blushed and quickly looked away. When the embarrassment wore off, Inuyasha smirked. "Handsome, huh?" Kagome realized what she had said, surprised she was that forward. She blushed again, and turned to try to explain in a different way. She wanted to get the pressure off but couldn't find the right words. With the smirk still in place, Inuyasha got a little color in his cheeks as well when he said, "You've grown up a little since you left. You don't seem so... clumsy as you used to be. You smell just as beautiful as you always have..." He trailed off, not sure what to say next. He was so bad with words. They were both distracted by the large shadow floating by at that moment. They both looked up to see Sesshomaru and Jaken. Jaken had noticed Kagome and announced her presence to the Inuyokai lord. She called to him, not by name, but by a family title: "Brother-in-law!" His responding glare was very cold. She was embarrassed further when she commented to Inuyasha about the glare and found him giving her a similar one. Embarrassment was soon replaced with hurt, and she asked, "Inuyasha, I came here to be with you. Don't you want me?" He was struggling to explain but couldn't ignore the pain in her eyes. "Don't be stupid, of course I want to be with you! It's just, ...the way you said it! I, I..." He moved closer to her and took her face in his hands. "Kagome, you will stay by my side, right? Forever? I couldn't bear to lose you again. I always had some hope that I would see you again, even if I had to wait 500 years. I don't ever want to be without you. I have a hard time saying what I want to say, but I can't deny what I feel. My only place is with you." Tears rose in Kagome's eyes, she could see the honesty in his. She knew this was why the well reopened. Their destiny was to be together. This is where she belonged. She closed her eyes and nuzzled her cheek against his hand, and replied, "Inuyasha, I love you. My heart has belonged to you from the day I met you." He raised her chin and lightly pressed his lips to hers. She was overwhelmed with emotion, and put one arm around his waist and her other reached around him and her fingers sifted through his silver hair. They pulled each other closer, and the kiss deepened. Neither knew how long the kiss lasted, but it didn't matter. They were only aware of themselves, the world could have disappeared and it would have not affected them in the least. When they finally broke the kiss, each still wanted to feel the other's embrace. They kept their arms around each other, enjoying feeling the heat their bodies shared. They both shed tears freely.

"Kagome, I could never stop thinking about you. I missed you so much."

"Inuyasha, I used to sit at the base of the sacred tree thinking about you. I would go stare into the well hoping you would come to get me because I had been gone too long."

They sat in each others arms in the meadow, professing their love for one another for some time. They watched the sun set and the moon rise. Inuyasha, not wanting to break the tranquility of the meadow but knowing the others would wonder where they were, gently kissed the top of Kagome's head and helped her up. "We don't want to keep you from the rest of the family." Another smirk on his face, he took her hand and helped her onto his back. They made it back to the village quickly and Kagome gave the basket of herbs to Kaede. She then went to sit at Inuyasha's side, across from Miroku and Sango. Everyone was in Kaede's hut when they returned, and they all looked hungry. Apparently Kaede wouldn't start serving dinner until everyone was present, so they looked a little annoyed that Kagome and Inuyasha had taken so long. Shippo was the one to speak up, "What took you guys so long? We're all starving here!" Inuyasha replied in the usual manner: smacking Shippo on the head and telling him "Shut up, runt!" Shippo ran to Sango, who gently kissed the bump on the kitsune's head. She told him "Kagome has been gone for a long time, she and Inuyasha have a lot to talk about." Shippo looked up at Kagome and pouted. He turned his attention back to Sango and said, "Well I missed her, too! Why does he get to talk to her first?" Kagome got up and walked over to the little fox demon, she lifted him from Sango's lap and gave him a hug. "I missed all of you, Shippo." She then leaned close to his ear and said for only him to hear, "But you know how impatient Inuyasha can be. Better to get caught up with him first so he doesn't interrupt when I am talking to everyone else." "I'm so glad your back, Kagome." he said with misty eyes. With another hug, she put the kitsune back into Sango's lap, where the twins suddenly decided they were supposed to be and tried to push him right back out. Kagome returned to her place at Inuyasha's side. When she was settled he looked at her from the corner of his eye and mumbled, "I heard that, you know." Kagome lightly patted his knee and said, "I know, dear." Inuyasha blushed and looked away.

After dinner, Miroku and Sango gathered their children and headed home. Rin and Shippo were tired because it was so late, and they each went to sleep. Kaede said that Kagome was welcome to stay with her and Rin until she and Inuyasha could find a home of their own. The thought of her and Inuyasha sharing a house made her blush. As if reading her mind, Inuyasha said, "Why would that embarrass you? We've slept together before!" Now the red on Kagome's face was very dark and she felt like her face was on fire. As soon as Inuyasha realized what he had said, and how it must have sounded to Kaede, his face burned as well. "You know what I mean! We have slept in the same bed, I mean place before!" Kaede interrupted, trying to keep the shouting to a minimum. "Inuyasha, we know what ye mean. Please do not wake the children with your yelling. Now that the subject is open, however, do ye plan on marrying?" she added with a small, questioning smile. "Well, …" Kagome began, still some red in her cheeks.

"That's kinda private, don't you think?" Inuyasha glared at the old priestess. Kaede glanced between the two, and with another small smile replied, "Forgive me, I thought ye two went to talk earlier. Was there not much talking involved, then?" Inuyasha had red rising in his cheeks again as the old miko's words sunk in. "I said that's PRIVATE!" Kagome stepped in front of him, completely embarrassed and not wanting Inuyasha's lack of communication skills making it any worse. "We were merely catching up on the last three years, ha ha. No need to jump to any conclusions, ha ha. We haven't really talked about the future yet, just the past. I will gladly accept your invitation to stay here until I can find someplace more permanent, though with Rin and Shippo here you don't seem to have a lot of room."

Kaede laughed and said, "There is always room here for ye, child. Inuyasha, relax. Do ye think I would not know if ye and Kagome did any more than talk during your absence from the village this afternoon? Though if ye two do not realize yet how much ye belong together, ye are hopeless." Both the half-demon and the young miko were speechless. Kaede laid a mat on the floor of the hut for Kagome to sleep on, then excused herself and went to her own mat. She realized that the couple might want some privacy, and suggested that they take a walk in the moonlight, the mat would be waiting for Kagome when they returned.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Announcement: **

The sun rose on the hanyou and young miko snuggling together in the branches of the sacred tree. They had talked all through the night, though at first they couldn't decide what to talk about. Each was afraid to bring up the subject first, they found it much harder to talk about marriage than the older priestess had. Even when they did try to talk about it, they would think about what would come after the marriage, and embarrassed, they would turn away from each other. Even after three years, they still were so nervous about their love for each other. Did they really feel the same? Did they love each other equally? Inuyasha was still unsure how Kagome could love him so much. He was a half-breed, after all. His whole life he was shunned by everyone, human and youkai alike. What did he have to offer her? Would she be truly happy spending her life with him, or would she come to regret her decision to return to leave her family? Kagome's head was tucked under Inuyasha's chin, her ear against his chest listening to his heartbeat. "You already miss your family, don't you?" he asked her while stroking her hair. "I missed them before I even jumped through the well. But my decision was made. I belong here with you. I still have my memories." Kagome reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. It was like they were made for each other: her hand perfectly cupped his cheek, his chest was the perfect place to rest her cheek. Inuyasha shivered slightly, she was so close to him. Her smell was amazing, and he buried his nose into her hair and took a long, deep breath. He had to ask her, "You gave up everything to return to me, how do you know it was worth it? What can I offer you that will make up for all you have left behind?"

She was shocked by his question. Did he not know how much he meant to her? She opened her eyes and met his gaze. "I didn't give up everything, I gained a future with you. I could not pass on the opportunity, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. Don't you realize how much I love you? I would rather spend eternity looking for shards of the sacred jewel with you than to spend one more moment away from you." Inuyasha smiled, looked into her chocolate eyes, "So does this mean you _will _be my wife?" What? Did he really say that? He wasn't even really thinking about it, but it just came out of his mouth all on its own. Now that it was out there, he was terrified of what she might say in response. His eyes started to get misty, the few seconds that it took for her shock to wear off and her voice to return to her were like a lifetime to him. Her eyes were also brimmed with tears, but to his relief he saw that they were happy tears. She hugged him very close to her and said, "Of course Inuyasha! I was starting to think that you would never ask." Just as they were leaning in for another kiss, they heard Miroku directly under them. "Did you two stay up all night?" Both were startled and embarrassed, and Kagome nearly fell from the tree. "Can't we get some privacy around here!" Inuyasha was so happy that Kagome felt the same way about him that he did of her, and he would have liked to get to that kiss (without an audience, of course). He still wasn't ready to show his feelings in front of the others, it made him feel vulnerable. He had survived this long by not exposing anything that could be used against him to anyone, it was going to be a hard habit to break.

A short while later, Inuyasha and Kagome were at Kaede's hut for breakfast. Shippo and Rin were having breakfast as well, and Kagome was very interested in Rin's babbling. The girl always had the gift of being long-winded. Rin had told her that Lord Sesshomaru had given her a new kimono when he had visited yesterday, and went to get it so she could show it to Kagome. Kagome admired the garment and told Rin that it was very beautiful. She asked Rin about Sesshomaru, and wondered why the girl was here in the village rather than with the Inuyokai lord. "I miss traveling with him sometimes, Jaken is so easy to annoy... But I know Lady Kaede needs help here, and Shippo is more fun to play with than Jaken. Maybe he thinks my life will be better if I was around other humans, sometimes the youkai that he encounters scare me." She leaned towards Kagome and almost whispered, "His mother scares me most of all..."

When breakfast was done, Miroku came into the hut. He walked towards Inuyasha and asked, "Well, should we be going then?" Inuyasha looked at him, confused. "Going where?" he snapped, looking at the priest. "Don't you remember? There is a weasel youkai in the village to the south. Hopefully the people there are gullible and generous, the girls are going to need new clothes soon." Inuyasha sighed, "Oh. I said I would go with you before Kagome got back, though. Can't you go without me?" Kagome looked at Inuyasha's sad expression, and placed her hand on his arm. "No, Inuyasha, you can go help Miroku. I have a lot of work to do with Kaede, anyway. I really need to start my training." She looked at Miroku, hoping she would like his answer. "How long will it take you to get back?" "We can use Kirara, so as long as we leave now we should be back no later than nightfall." Inuyasha still didn't look very happy, but Kagome seemed to be able to accept that. She hugged her hanyou, and whispered in his ear, "We still have a lot of talking to do, so try to make sure Miroku stays focused. We have to tell the others that we are getting married at some point, and I think we should do it together. I love you." She tried to kiss him on the cheek, she knew he wouldn't want to do anything too intimate in front of Kaede, Shippo, Rin, or Miroku. At the last moment, Inuyasha turned towards her and thwarted her plan. They shared a soft, gentle kiss on the lips. Although their audience was silent, it was obvious every one of them could have found _something_ to say.

Kagome's day was divided into training, and assisting Kaede and Rin with the usual daily shrine duties. She had _almost_ managed to create a barrier when she heard the twins' shouting "Daddy! Mama, Daddy and Uncle Inuyasha are back!" "Uncle?" Kagome thought with a grin. Sango had seen Inuyasha as a brother, Miroku probably had too. She guessed it wasn't as odd as she had first thought. As the two men got closer to the two girls, they jumped first at their father. After he got plenty of hugs and kisses, they jumped on Uncle Inuyasha and gave him some hugs and kisses, too. Kagome noticed that neither of the girls got down before a quick tweak of the dog ears perched on top of their uncle's head. Both men looked tired and hungry, Kirara carried a bundle of cloth to Sango. As soon as Inuyasha caught sight of Kagome, his weariness seemed to disappear. He ran to her and hugged her tightly, as if he was seeing her come back through the well again after another three years. She smiled at him and pulled his forehead down to hers. As they stood forehead to forehead, she said, "Yeah, I missed you, too." Inuyasha could not help but take her face in his hands and place a gentle kiss on her lips. What had changed in him, he wondered? Before he had lost her, and even the day she had returned, he had been so afraid to show his love for her. Now it seemed like he _must_ show her, at every opportunity, how much he loved her. Shippo started jumping up and down beside Sango, "See, see it, Sango? I told you, didn't I?" Kagome and Inuyasha both looked toward Shippo and Sango, blushing. It wasn't as much as they both had expected, though. Inuyasha had caught Sango and Shippo off guard when he had asked them, "Are you coming to Kaede's for dinner? Kagome and I would like to see everyone together tonight."

A short while later, everyone that was dear to them was having dinner. They noticed that there were a few curious glances now and then, but no one was brave enough to ask why they were all there. When it seemed like everyone was done with their meal, and the kids had all gone off to play, Inuyasha took Kagome's hand in his. She looked up at him nervously, he seen the anxiety on her face and asked quietly, "Are you sure you're ready?" She swallowed the lump in her throat and replied, "As much as I will ever be." Shippo, who had been suspicious since the dinner request, suddenly looked up from where he was playing with Rin and shouted, "You're not leaving again, are you Kagome? Please tell me you are staying with us! I missed you so much while you were away!" Kagome looked at the little fox demon and said, "Of course not, Shippo!" Before she could begin to explain, Inuyasha shouted at the kitsune, offended. "I said that we _both_ wanted to see everyone tonight, and you are only worried whether _Kagome_ is leaving or not? What about _ME_, you little runt!" It was Kaede's turn to interrupt, she reached out to the irate half-demon and the crying fox demon, and said, "Now is not the time to argue. Please, Inuyasha, he is only a child. Why don't ye and Kagome tell us why ye wanted us here, so none of us jump to the wrong conclusions?" Inuyasha began to calm down, and he seen and felt everyone's eyes on him. He turned to Kagome, his bravery spent. She stood and took his hand in hers, giving him a small, nervous smile. Then she faced their dearest friends, and tried to work up her own courage. "I... I mean we, Inuyasha and I, have decided to... We talked it over and... Uhum." Inuyasha squeezed her hand, then wrapped his arms around her. It seemed to give them both strength and they said at the same time, "We've decided to get married."

The twins, who were playing in the corner of the hut one minute as if they were the only ones in the room, suddenly jumped up and ran to Kagome. They hugged her legs and shouted "Aunt Kagome! Aunt Kagome!" Rin came over and hugged both Inuyasha and Kagome. She looked up with a smile on her face and said, "Wait until I tell Lord Sesshomaru the good news! I am so happy for you, Uncle Inuyasha and Aunt Kagome!" Inuyasha looked at the girl, puzzled, then looked at his fiancé and asked, "Since when am I 'Uncle Inuyasha' to Rin?" Kagome smiled at him and explained, "Sesshomaru is your brother, and he treats Rin like she is his own daughter. It makes sense, you know."


	5. Chapter 5

**Getting prepared:**

The next few days where a blur for the new couple. They were trying to make plans about how quickly to have the ceremony, and telling everyone who wasn't at dinner about their engagement. Most of the villagers acted like it was about time, while others looked shocked by the news. Inuyasha seemed more eager to go to work with Miroku, and on a return trip to the village Miroku couldn't hide his curiosity any longer. "Inuyasha, I can't help but notice that you seem more eager to leave the village with me. Before, you agreed to help me with exterminations and exorcisms just to busy yourself. After Kagome's return, you didn't want to go at all. You would have rather spent your time with your beloved. Since the announcement of your engagement, you seem eager to get away... There is nothing amiss between you and Kagome, is there? It seems like you want to be married, but yet you feel the need to work more than before."

Inuyasha looked annoyed, and took his time answering the priest. "Of course I want to be married to Kagome. You work to provide for your family, right? Well, I am going to have to provide for Kagome... and eventually..." he trailed off, pondering the future to come. Their future, together. "Oh, I see!" Miroku smiled, "You are trying to get used to providing for your children! How many do you plan on having? Do you and Kagome agree on how many? I want at least ten, Sango says that three is plenty. I said as long as we pace ourselves, ten children shouldn't be too much trouble. I would like at least another son, it would be fair if it was even. I would hate for the men of the house to be outnumbered. When I asked..." Inuyasha's face was a dark red when he shouted, "Would you just shut up for a second! I didn't say anything about kids!" Miroku looked at his friend, not sure he understood. "But I thought, you said that you had to provide for Kagome. Then you trailed off about the 'eventually'. If you weren't thinking of children, what did you mean?"

Inuyasha wasn't sure how to answer. He did mean children, but no one else had to know about his dreams for the future. He hadn't even talked about kids with Kagome, yet. He couldn't even talk about mating with Kagome, how would they talk about kids? Couldn't have kids without mating. At least their children would know acceptance, something that Inuyasha grew up without. "Never mind" he mumbled, folded his arms in his sleeves, and walked ahead of the monk.

Kagome's training on barriers was coming along nicely, but often she would get distracted by thoughts of Inuyasha. When Kaede noticed her student's lack of concentration, and seen that Kagome's cheeks held a touch of color as well, she asked "What are ye thinking about, child? It is obviously not how to hold a barrier in place." "I'm sorry, Kaede, I just keep thinking about everything that has happened in the last week. I finished high school, I left my family, I came back to a past I never really belonged in, I was reunited with the love of my life, I got engaged, and I am getting ready to take over the responsibilty of protecting and caring for an entire village. It is very overwhelming." Kaede looked on the young miko with sympathy. She was forced to grow up very fast, it seemed. But that didn't explain the pink that had shone in her face a moment ago. "Aye, but what was making ye blush, child?" Kagome got a little more color, and struggled through her reply. "Well, as I said, I am reunited with Inuyasha and we will be married soon. I guess I am a little nervous about, I mean I don't know what to expect of, it's not like I have ever..."

"Aye, it is the wedding night ye were thinking about, then. Many young girls get nervous before their wedding night. I suppose the only ones that would not are the ones that already know what is coming. Should ye talk to Sango about it? She is married with children, she could surely fill ye in on some details." Kagome, still blushing, thought a moment then said, "That might be a good idea. Let's finish our training first, though. I don't want to get behind schedule." Kaede nodded slightly. "No child, ye are not a good student when ye are so distracted. We will just have to hope that your talk will help put your mind at ease enough that ye can regain your concentration for our next lesson. I expect ye return here at tomorrow's first light so we can make up for your lack of attentiveness today."

Miroku decided to let Inuyasha think to himself for a while. The hanyou must have had a lot on his mind. As he was about to ask Inuyasha if they had decided to have the wedding on the night of the new moon, Inuyasha looked up quickly toward the village. "Sesshomaru came back to see Rin already? I wonder what he wants, I'm sure she's bubbling with excitement to tell him the news. I'll meet you back at the village." With that Inuyasha took off and left Miroku behind to walk by himself, they were only about half an hour from the village, anyway.

Sesshomaru caught Inuyasha's scent before the half-demon reached the village, and decided to go "congratulate" him on the news he had just heard from his ward, Rin. He found him easily, they almost collided as Inuyasha was in such a hurry to not miss his older brother. Sesshomaru spoke first, "So yet again, you get what you want. Why does fate favor you so?" Inuyasha barely took in the stinging words, he had some questions for big brother. "I have to ask you about... something. But you have to promise that you will be honest, not laugh, and definitely not tell anyone I asked you." Sesshomaru was taken aback by the look on his brother's face. It was almost like he had stepped on something disgusting. "You can ask any question you must, but I do not have to answer and I do not have to promise you _anything_." Inuyasha looked annoyed. "This is a waste of my time. Why did I think to ask _you_ anyway. I should have asked the perverted monk." Inuyasha turned to go. He didn't really want to talk to the pervert about what he was expected to do with Kagome after they were married, but it seemed like Sesshomaru wasn't the best choice, either. Sesshomaru's curiosity had been piqued, he couldn't let Inuyasha walk away. "I said you can ask, little brother. I will try my best to not show amusement and I have no reason to reveal our conversation to anyone."

"I was just wondering, I don't know what to expect, could you tell me how to not hurt Kagome?" Inuyasha could not meet his brother's gaze. Sesshomaru smirked, "You could make sure not to talk about your dead miko, for one."

"That's not what I meant! We... we thought about having the wedding on the new moon, so we are both human..."

"Are you asking _me_ for advice on how to mate with a _human_?"

"Like I said, this is a big waste of time! I never knew Father, so I had never seen the way he was around my Mother. I was hoping to get a little insight, but you are just being an idiot!"

"This Sesshomaru is sorry, brother, I was not present for the magical moment of your conception." The smirk got a little bigger.

"This is hopeless!" Inuyasha folded his arms in his sleeves and turned away, he would have to talk to the pervert after all.

Sesshomaru was in his brother's path in a flash, Inuyasha almost fell over to avoid him. "Might I suggest, Inuyasha, that you let your heart guide you. Even your youkai side seems to love your priestess, and would therefore not want to see her injured. If you feel better to have your first mating as a human, then do so. You will be better prepared for the next time when your youkai blood is active. Though you will be husband and wife in human tradition, youkai have other traditions. You can either let me tell you of them, or you can go ask your wolf friend. He should be very happy to instruct you how to claim the mate that he has chosen for himself."

Inuyasha's brow creased, not liking the thought of getting advice from Kouga about his mating with Kagome. "Asking that mangy wolf would be worse than asking the perverted monk!"

"Then let me tell you of youkai traditions, and what I remember of Father's devotion to your mother."

Kagome was pleased to find all three children asleep and Sango alone when she arrived at Sango's hut. "Sango, do you have a moment to talk to me?" Kagome asked her friend, already feeling the heat on her face. "Of course, Kagome, let's go outside so we don't wake the children. You don't mind if I try to catch up on laundry, do you?" Sango said while grabbing her basket of soiled diapers and leading Kagome outside. As the reality of what she came here to talk to Sango about sunk in, Kagome gave a small, nervous laugh. "Of course not, I could help you if you wish!"

Sango looked at Kagome, puzzled, and began, "Are you alright Kagome? you are acting strangely." Then she suddenly looked very angry and through clenched teeth she asked, "Is it my husband's 'cursed hand'? It didn't find it's way to your backside did it?"

Kagome was shocked. She couldn't help it when it all came rushing out at once. "Oh, no! Nothing like that! I was just training with Kaede and I couldn't concentrate! She thought that it was nervousness about my upcoming wedding night and thought a talk with you about what to expect would calm me!"

"Oh!" Sango looked ashamed of her outburst, and she was a little embarrassed about the subject their conversation was headed for.

Inuyasha caught up with Miroku just as he reached the village. Miroku said quietly, "Please tell me you did not go try to pick a fight with your brother." Inuyasha just kept walking as if nothing was said, then without changing pace or raising his eyes simply said, "Not this time, we just had some stuff to talk about." Miroku curiously raised an eyebrow. "I see, will he be attending the wedding, then?" Inuyasha replied nonchalantly, "Yeah, I guess so." They continued quietly to Miroku's hut, where they found Kagome helping Sango with the kids and dinner. When the twins seen the men returning they greeted them as usual. Kagome walked to Inuyasha, gave him a hug, and said, "I hope you don't mind, I told Sango we would join them for dinner. Cooking is so much different without a stove or even a hot plate. I could use all the practice I can get. Even the ingredients and spices are different, most are stronger. It's good to know, I wouldn't want to use too much vinegar." Inuyasha felt overwhelmed at the thought that she would soon be his wife, his mate. He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, "I love you, Kagome." Before she could respond, he released her from his embrace and turned to Sango, "So what are we having, I'm starving."

Kagome slept in Inuyasha's arms in the branches of the sacred tree that night. They had talked about when to hold the wedding, and Kagome had given the opinion that it didn't matter if it was the new moon, she wasn't just marrying Inuyasha's human half, she was marrying the youkai half as well. She liked him just the way he was, but if he felt better about the new moon, that was fine for her. Inuyasha had asked her the same question that had been bothering him, one that he had thought about a little even since before they defeated Naraku. "You aren't afraid that I am going to hurt you? You know I wouldn't do it on purpose, but I have claws and fangs and your skin is so soft. Sometimes I don't realize just how dangerous I am to you." Kagome reached around to put her hand on the back of his head, and brought his eyes down to meet hers. "Inuyasha, I trust you with all my heart. And all my skin, too." They shared a gentle kiss, then Kagome rested her cheek against Inuyasha's warm chest and let sleep take her.

At first light, as promised, she was at Kaede's hut for more training. She wasn't as distracted as she was the day before, and her barrier only dwindled twice due to daydreaming. Inuyasha had been missing from the village all morning, and when he stopped in to check on Kagome at lunch time they told Kaede that they had decided when to have the wedding. The new moon was four days away, and they wanted to be married late that morning. This way, they could be husband and wife before Inuyasha's transformation. But on their wedding night, the first night of their union, they would both be human. That seemed to be the way Inuyasha felt the best. Kagome wasn't sure, but there seemed to be some reason he wanted to be half-demon before they got to their wedding night. He made sure to tell Kaede that they would not be hanging around the village until sunset, though, so no party. Inuyasha told Rin, who was grinding up dried herbs, to make sure she told Sesshomaru of their plans. It was when Kaede turned to Kagome and said, "We best get back to your training, child, ye still have much to learn." that Inuyasha asked to speak with the elder miko alone. Kagome, not sure what was left for Inuyasha to talk to Kaede about, offered to go help Rin until her teacher returned. Kaede and Inuyasha left the hut. When they were outside and no one was around to hear the conversation, Inuyasha spoke to the priestess with a very serious tone. "I remember Kikyo told me once that, because she loved me, her powers started to fade. What's going to happen after Kagome and I are... Well, mated?"

Kaede placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Aye, when she started to have feelings for ye, Kikyo's power did diminish, but Kagome is not Kikyo. She seems to have gotten stronger as your presence grows in her heart." Inuyasha mumbled his reply with a blush, "It's not being in her _heart_ that I'm worried about." Kaede patted his shoulder and replied, "Ye love the girl, do ye not?"

"Of course I do! More than anything."

"Then marry the girl and live happily together. Things will work out."

Kaede didn't reveal the subject of the secret conversation with Kagome, although she could tell the child was very curious. For the next few days, as Kagome was training, Inuyasha would be nowhere in sight. No one had asked him where he was going, but everyone had their own theories.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Big Day:**

Sango and Miroku would not allow Kagome to sleep in the tree with Inuyasha on the eve of the wedding. They had insisted that Kagome stay with Kaede, and made sure Shippo was there to keep her from sneaking off to be with her soon-to-be husband. As the sun rose on the morning of the ceremony, a familiar scent drifted by Inuyasha as he was waiting patiently in the Sacred Tree. He jumped form his perch in the tree and went to greet his brother. Sesshomaru came with two bundles, and before Inuyasha could ask what they were Sesshomaru tossed one of them to him. "Please tell me you are not going to be joined together wearing fire rat and miko robes?" Inuyasha opened the bundle to see a robe with the crest of the Inuyokai embroidered on the back. "What's this?" Sesshomaru said plainly, "It is what Father wore when he joined with your mother. This bundle is for Kagome, and you will see it soon enough." With that he was off.

Shortly after Sango burst into Kaede's hut to wake Kagome, Rin had started jumping excitedly. "Lord Sesshomaru, are you here to see the wedding?" Sesshomaru's presence in the modest hut was very regal. "Yes, Rin. Calm yourself." As he turned to Kagome he said, "I don't know what you plan to wear for your union with my brother. This kimono is the very one that Inuyasha's mother wore during her union with our father. I have given him the one that Father wore on that day." Kagome's eyes were brimmed with tears when she said "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru!" Neither seemed to expect what happened next. Kagome, not being able to help it, ran to him and hugged him. He did nothing at first but slowly put one arm around her shoulder, then quickly back to his side. He said softly, "I will be in attendance for the ceremony." then hastily left the hut.

Just as the time neared for Inuyasha to take his place, Totosai and Myouga caught his attention. Totosai handed Inuyasha a small parcel, and Myouga commented on how Inuyasha's father would be so proud to see him wear that robe. The ways that Kagome had described a wedding in her era were vastly different from what Sango and Kaede were used to, but they tried their best to make it a special day for Kagome and Inuyasha. The twins threw flower petals as the bride walked toward the groom. When they were allowed to see each other for the first time since the night before, both had their breath caught in their throats. Inuyasha looked so stunning and strong in his father's robe, and Kagome was radiantly beautiful in his mother's kimono. They exchanged their vows, and Inuyasha handed Kagome the small parcel that he had gotten from Totosai. "I had the old man forge this from a small piece of the tetsusaiga. Tetsusaiga was forged to protect my human mother, so this ring will protect you even when I am not around. Of course, I am always going to be..." Kagome looked at the ring as Inuyasha placed it on her finger. It was the same silver color as Inuyasha's hair, and it felt like it belonged on her finger. "Oh, Inuyasha! I love you!" Overcome with emotion and crying uncontrollably, Kagome wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's neck and kissed him deeply. After a few ahem's from their friends, they broke the kiss. Inuyasha didn't let Kagome out of his embrace just yet. He looked into her reddened eyes and whispered tenderly. "You look so beautiful, Kagome. I love you." Kaede finished the ceremony, saying that they were now joined in the eyes of the gods. They were congratulated by everyone in the village, even the ones that still held a little fear of Inuyasha came and wished the couple well. It wasn't too long before Inuyasha started to get impatient, and tried to persuade Kagome to come with him. She still had plenty of well-wishers coming to her, and he thought it would be impossible to get her away anytime soon. Suddenly the crowd started to get thinner, and they soon found why. Sesshomaru, with Jaken and Rin two steps behind, walked up to the newlyweds. "Little brother, at this pace the sun will be setting by the time you get away. Don't waste too much time. Take your wife and claim her as your own." Not quite sure what he was talking about, Kagome glanced at Inuyasha. When he offered her no explanation, she shook her head and addressed Sesshomaru. "Thank you again for bringing Inuyasha's parent's wedding attire, it was very thoughtful of you." She then gave him another hug, though with nowhere near the uncontrolled emotion of earlier. His response, however, was the same. Inuyasha looked shocked when he had offered her the small, one-armed hug. When the moment passed, Sesshomaru put an arm on each of their shoulders. "Come, walk with me and you are sure to get away from the village quickly. Rin, Jaken, I will return shortly." Jaken became very distraught at the thought of loosing sight of Lord Sesshomaru in a human village, but Rin soon distracted him.

When they were out of sight and hearing range of the village, Sesshomaru stopped and faced the newlyweds. "You are now joined by the tradition of humans, of your mothers. It is now time to join in the tradition of our father. Kagome, Inuyasha's mother was not widely accepted in the Western Lands. Give me your hand." Kagome nervously offered her hand to Sesshomaru. When he turned it palm up and his claw, the claws that had tried to kill her a long time ago, approached the vulnerable skin, she shuddered. "Worry not, miko. No poison will come from these claws this day." She barely felt the claw pierce her skin. A small spot of blood soon pooled into her upturned palm. Sesshomaru pierced his own palm in the same manner. He then pressed his hand into hers, palms together. "My blood is usually toxic to humans, but since I give it to you of my own will it will not harm you. It will make your body stronger, and more resistant to pain and poison. It will also let other youkai beware that you are not to be harmed, but treated as an equal. You are now a sister of the Inuyoukai." He released her hand and guided her to stand by Inuyasha's side. Kagome couldn't help but look at her palm, there wasn't even a scar. "I am not fond of humans, it is no secret. But Kagome, young priestess, I believe there is no better mate for my brother. You are strong, in both mind and spirit. You think of others before yourself. You love my brother unconditionally. And, most amazingly, you have the ability to tolerate him despite his many faults. I am honored to accept you into my family this day. You both have my blessing." He quickly gave each a very small peck on the cheek. "Little brother, go now and claim your mate before your teeth dull." He departed quickly and left them alone in the forest.

As Kagome's shock was wearing off, she was speechless. Inuyasha recovered much quicker and scooped her into his arms. "Are you ready to go home?" "Inuyasha, you know we aren't going to get any peace if we go back to the village now." Inuyasha smirked, "I didn't say we were going back to the village." He took off running as fast as he could, being hindered somewhat by his father's robe. Shortly, they came to a small clearing that Kagome had not remembered seeing before. There was a small brook running through the edge of the clearing, and in the center was a newly constructed hut. It had looked like there was a small hut at first, but it had been expanded. "Inuyasha, where are we?" Inuyasha bowed his head, "I know it isn't much, Kagome, but it should be enough for now until we can find someplace better."

"Better? It is beautiful! Look, we are going to have a perfect view of the sunset tonight! What is this place?"

Inuyasha was pleased, he was worried that she wouldn't like it, it was relatively close to the village but not _in_ it. He thought that she would want to be as close as possible for when she would be the village's miko. "After you went back to your own time, I needed a place to hide during the new moon. Sango and Miroku told me to stay with them, but it wasn't the same with you gone. I made myself a hut to stay in while I was human, no one knew about it so I felt a little safer. The first year, the new moon was nearly unbearable. Working on this hut is what got me through many of those nights. When you returned, I realized it was too small for a family, so I have been making it bigger."

With misty eyes, Kagome took Inuyasha's hands in hers. "This is where you have been going when you have disappeared from the village the last few days, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Inuyasha, husband, I love you." She met his lips eagerly. "Now show me our new house."

He scooped her back into his arms and carried her into their home. She was surprised to see how much he tried to make it look like her bedroom at home. The bed was a thick mat that was elevated from the floor by a wooden platform. There was also a table in place of her desk and shelves built along the wall, though she had no books to put on them anymore. Seeing her tears, Inuyasha tried to explain. "I know you miss your own time, I thought that if I could make our home look familiar, it wouldn't be so bad."

"Oh, Inuyasha..." She, still in his arms, grabbed his head and kissed him fiercely. He carried her to the bed, and placed her on it gently. He kneeled in front of her and took her hands in his. "Kagome, do you want to become my mate in the youkai tradition? I won't force you."

"I want to be yours in every way, Inuyasha, I will never leave you." Kagome smiled nervously, "How do I become your mate, in the _youkai_ tradition?"

"I will mark you as my mate. The mark will link our lives until death. All others will know by this mark that you are _my_ mate." A smirk appeared on his lips, "That means that mangy wolf will no longer be able to try to take you from me..."

"I'm ready, Inuyasha, make me yours."

"This might hurt a little." He moved her hair aside, exposing her soft neck. When he moved his mouth towards her, she realized what was coming as he beared his fangs. She braced for the pain, and was surprised when all she felt was the "little pinch" they warn you about at the doctor's office. The softness of her neck felt good on his lips, and he couldn't help but linger. He kissed the mark, and said he was sorry he had to do that. Kagome reassured him, "I barely felt it." She touched the mark, and it felt like it was completely healed. "What does it look like?" He looked at it closely. "Hmm." Kagome was growing more curious by the second. "Well?" Inuyasha wasn't sure if his eyes were just playing tricks on him, "It kinda looks like... My name. You can tell its a bite, but the scar is made up of lines and shapes. It might be just my eyes, but it looks to me like my own name."

She was now his. His wife, his mate. She had the thought that she was his in every way but one, and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. "What?" Inuyasha was trying to figure out why she was blushing, and soon smelled slight arousal coming from Kagome. "Do you like the thought of being my mate?" He leaned close to her, smelling her hair. He then kissed her jaw and whispered in her ear. "There is still one way that you are not mine, but I want you to know that I will not rush you."

Very aware of where the situation was heading, Kagome became very nervous. Inuyasha was nervous as well, but he was always one to act first and think later. "I know, and I want to be yours. I just never, I don't know what, I mean we have just barely begun kissing. It is quite a leap, you know. But I don't really see the point in waiting, I mean we _are_ married. I'm just not sure how to go about it, is all." Inuyasha sat behind her on the bed and wrapped his arms around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and said softly, "We have the rest of our lives to figure it out."


	7. Chapter 7

**The long night:**

The newlyweds sat and talked for hours, Inuyasha sitting behind Kagome and holding her close. They talked about how their lives were changing so fast in such a short time. Inuyasha asked how the priestess training was coming along, and Kagome told him of the progress she was making on the barriers (as long as she wasn't distracted...) and that soon they would be training on restraint spells. "Which reminds me, husband, we don't need this anymore." and she took the subjugation beads from his neck. He looked at her, surprised at how much his neck missed the weight of them. "Can you put them back on, Kagome? They were the first thing you ever gave me." Kagome was confused. "Actually, Kaede is the one that gave them to you, besides, I thought you hated these beads?" Inuyasha took hold of her wrists and guided her hands to put the beads back around his neck. "They brought us together, without them I would have killed you. I would have never known you, and I would have never felt true love. You have my mark and my ring so others know you are mine. I have your beads. It just doesn't feel right without them." She left her hands around his neck, and pulled him into a hug. She took a moment to work up her courage, then whispered in his ear, "Inuyasha, make me yours." Suddenly, Inuyasha and Kagome were both quite nervous. They knew the moment had come, and wanted it, but each still were embarrassed to be the one to start it. They leaned closer for a kiss, and at the last moment came at each other a little too fast. "Ouch!" "Owww!" Kagome felt the small bump on her inner lip where it had been pushed into her tooth, Inuyasha rubbed his lip where the same had happened. "What happened? That didn't happen before, did I hurt you? I knew we should have waited until I was human!" Kagome smiled nervously, "I think we are just a little nervous because we know that this isn't going to stop at kissing..." She moved him so he was sitting straight on the bed. She put a leg on each side of him and sat over his lap, facing him. She had to pull the kimono way up to do so. She put her arms on his shoulders and rubbed them gently. "OK, now, let's relax." Inuyasha couldn't help but feel aroused. "How am I supposed to relax when you're sitting on me like that?" Kagome thought for a moment. "You're right, we are too formal." She stood up in front of him and took off the kimono, standing before him in her bra and underwear. "Let's free you up a little as well, shall we?" She leaned down and grabbed his robe, Inuyasha could not help but stare at her barely covered chest as she lifted it off of him. Kagome's scent was driving Inuyasha wild. She smelled nervous, but anxious and aroused. "You aren't very relaxed," he said smirking, "Why should I be?" He pulled her toward him, and she was back on his lap facing him. Her mostly naked top was right against his bare chest, and the heat of their bodies combined between them. Inuyasha was overwhelmed with desire for his mate, and leaned in for the kiss. Kagome put a finger to his lips and reminded him, "Slowly, relax." then she met his lips. The kiss started tender and gently, but as the risk of further injury diminished it escalated passionately. Kagome placed her hands on Inuyasha's chest, and admired the hard muscle that came from years of fighting. She had seen him shirtless before, but usually injured and bandaged. She could not help but push her hips into his lap, and her breath caught as she was suddenly aware of his own arousal. Inuyasha had seen Kagome without clothes before, but once when she was in trouble and he gave her his fire rat robe to cover herself. He had seen her other times, while she was bathing, but never got a really _good_ look before she noticed and shouted for him to sit. He had the thought that maybe he should have let her take off the beads, at least for tonight. While the kiss remained passionate, each explored the other: hands rubbing and caressing. Inuyasha was very careful with his claws and tried his best to be careful with his fangs as well. He had started rubbing Kagome's back, her hands were already between them. When she folded her arms behind Inuyasha's neck, he took the opportunity to encroach on the area she had vacated. His hands, very slowly, started at her shoulders. As they made it to her collarbone, she slightly moved her body away from his for easier accessibility. As one hand passed over one of her breast's, she shivered. She broke the kiss and leaned back slightly, staring into his golden eyes. She reached around and unclasped her bra. He couldn't wait for her to take it off and slowly slid the straps off her shoulders as she pulled her arms through them. He wanted to taste her skin, but realized he still had fangs. He took a breast in each hand and slowly massaged each nipple with his thumbs. A small moan escaped Kagome's throat and it made Inuyasha's entire body tingle. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from his lap. He placed her gently on the bed, and hovered above her. He could not deny his desire to taste her skin any longer, and carefully licked a hard nipple. She moaned again and he took the nipple into his mouth. She moaned louder and arched her back to meet his touch. "I don't want to hurt you," he whispered softly into her ear. As he spoke, his breath left goosebumps on her neck.

"I told you, I trust you. I love you." she whispered back to him. He took her lips softly, and held himself up with one arm while the other massaged her breast again. Both were still nervous about the moment approaching, but succumbing to their need for each other. Kagome massaged his muscular chest, and ran her hands down his torso. She hesitated at his waist, then slowly undressed him fully. He hovered over her for a moment longer, then straightened and removed her last remaining garment. As the movement of the thin cloth stirred the air, Inuyasha's nose was filled with her scent. It was more powerful than anything he had smelled before, and he had no control over his desire. He lowered himself to the source of the scent, and was again overwhelmed by his need to taste her. Her orgasm was immediate, and she moaned his name. He was only encouraged by her excitement and continued to taste her. "Inuyasha, please, take me!" she cried desperately. He reluctantly rose and moved himself into position. "Are you sure?" he whispered, their lips touching as he spoke. "Yes." Inuyasha thought to himself _"That's good, because I don't have the control to stop." _She tensed a bit as he was about to enter her, she was afraid there was going to be pain. He was very slow, and very gentle. As with the bite, she barely felt any uncomfort. Instead, her entire body felt pleasure. She was unable to speak, she could only moan softly and grab his hips trying to get him closer to her. She wanted all of him, and he seemed to sense this. He lengthened his thrusts, and gradually quickened his pace. It took neither long to reach their climax, and as he pulsed inside her she cried out his name. Exhausted, they relaxed and laid entwined for a moment to catch their breath. Kagome felt a shift in his body, though he didn't seem to move. She opened her eyes and the head laying on her shoulder was surrounded by black hair. Even in his human form, he was very muscular. "And you thought you were going to hurt me. I told you I trusted you." She rubbed his back lovingly. He replied tiredly, "Yeah, I guess there was nothing to worry about." He moved enough to get the blanket that was folded on the bed, and covered them. They laid in each other's arms for a while, not needing to say how they felt. Inuyasha started kissing along Kagome's jaw, and on her neck and collarbone. "You know, I was holding back a bit because of the claws and fangs. I don't have to hold back now..." Kagome looked at him, a smile on her lips. "I thought you wanted to become a full youkai because there were no advantages to being human." Inuyasha smiled back at his wife, "Shut up, woman." and showed her what he could do with his hands while they didn't have claws. She took the opportunity to show him what a mouth without fangs was good for.


	8. Chapter 8

**The first morning:**

Kagome woke to find the hut empty. She was almost in a panic instantly, but before she could get completely out of bed Inuyasha entered their home. "I went to get our regular clothes, I don't want to be walking around in Father's robe all day. Mother's kimono doesn't seem very practical for day-to-day use, either." He was back to his silver-haired, dog-eared self. "How can you be up and energetic so early, we barely got to sleep?" Kagome laid back down, rubbing her eyes. "Early? It's almost noon, lazy!" He jumped on to the bed and laid beside her. "Don't worry, though, Kaede said you could have the day off. She said to make sure you are there first thing tomorrow, no exceptions." Inuyasha thought of his fear about Kagome's powers getting weaker like Kikyo's. There was a possibility that, because they had mated, she would have no powers at all. Priests and priestesses were supposed to stay unmarried and untouched. Miroku seemed to retain some of his spiritual powers, and they should have been gone long before he met Sango if that was the case. Inuyasha wasn't sure if he should tell Kagome that her powers might be gone, she would probably be really mad at him for not telling her before last night. He couldn't think about how to test them to see if they were still there. Kagome could tell that something was bothering her husband. "What are you thinking about?" she asked while caressing his cheek. "Ah, nothing" was his reply, but she knew better. "You can't tell me you're not worrying about something. I know that look, you know." Inuyasha tried his best to think of something else he could tell her he was worrying about, just to get her to stop asking him. "Are you sure you want to take over for Kaede? You helped track down the jewel shards, helped to defeat Naraku, and made the jewel go away. I think you have done enough. What if something else evil comes along?" She looked lovingly at her husband, "Are you worried about me? It is mainly going to be healing and making medicine, and as long as she is still here I will have Rin helping with that. With the jewel gone there is going to be no reason for anything evil to come here. Besides, you're here to protect me..." She kissed him and placed her hand on his chest, sneaking it inside his robe. "I always will be here to protect you, too. But who is going to protect you from me?" he asked with a smirk. He pulled the blanket off of her, she had not yet gotten dressed. The sun was farther across the sky, Inuyasha's clothes thrown over by Kagome's on the table, when they heard him.

"Kagome! What have you done to her, Mutt Face?" Kouga could smell them both, and their scent lead him right to the hut. As he reached the clearing, they were emerging from the hut looking like they had just thrown their clothes on before coming outside as they were both tying their robes. "What have you done to my woman, Dog Breath? I am going to kill you!" Kouga hurried towards Inuyasha looking very serious about the death threat. Kagome stepped in front of Inuyasha and before he could tell her to get back, she raised a barrier around her and her husband. Kouga tried to get through the barrier, shouting the whole time at Inuyasha, scolding him for even thinking about defiling _his_ woman. Inuyasha was greatly relieved that Kagome still had her spiritual power. From what he had gathered from Kaede, this was much better than the barriers she usually managed to create (when she was able to create them at all). Maybe the old miko was right after all, it looked like Kagome had gotten stronger after they mated. "Hah! Would she be protecting _me_ if she was _your_ woman, you mangy wolf? She is my mate and there is nothing you can do about it, so just go home!" Kouga's eyes looked as if they were going to pop out of his head, then his face got very red. "What do you mean, she's your _mate_? Kagome, please tell me the dog turd didn't force himself on you!" Kagome's face got almost as red as Kouga's, but from embarrassment rather than anger. "Kouga, if you promise to calm down and leave my husband alone, I will lower the barrier." Kouga's face got even darker red, and somehow he managed to look even more angry. "HUSBAND???"

After some time, Kouga finally seemed to calm down enough and Kagome lowered the barrier. He tried to grab Inuyasha as soon as it was gone, so she had to create another. About three barriers later, she was finally able to leave the barrier down. Once Kouga got a good breath of her scent, he knew he was too late. As a breeze moved Kagome's hair from her neck, he was able to see Inuyasha's mark and sunk to his knees. "What can you possibly see in the mutt, Kagome? He's a half-breed, I could offer you so much more. As soon as I heard of your return, I came here to claim you as my own. If only I had heard sooner..." Heartbroken and still on his knees, he put his face in his hands. Unable to bear the sight of him looking so hurt, Kagome went to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Kouga, you need to stop obsessing over me. I have always belonged to Inuyasha, if you weren't so blinded by your obsession you would know that. I came here to be with him, and by his side is where I am going to remain. We are joined, both in human and youkai tradition. You have no claim for me. Please get up, stop looking so pathetic, and get over me. I know there must be a wolf youkai that would make a good mate for you. If you think of Inuyasha being a half-breed makes him weak or inferior, you obviously don't think highly of humans. In case you didn't notice, _I _am human, and therefore don't belong with you." Kagome was startled by the shout of "You tell him, Kagome!" coming from the edge of the clearing. "Shippo! What are you doing here?" Shippo ran over to her and jumped into her arms, Sango and Miroku emerging from the forest behind him. Shippo explained their presence. "Kouga came into the village, he kept running from hut to hut looking for you. When we told him that you were with Inuyasha, he got really mad and started following your scent. Sango, Miroku, and I left the kids with Kaede and Kirara and followed him to keep him from bothering you. Looks like we got here a little late, but it doesn't seem like you needed any help." He glared at the still heartbroken wolf youkai. Inuyasha piped in, "Yeah, looks like he might have finally realized that Kagome is out of his reach. I can guess how you feel, fleabag, I lost Kagome once. It was our love for each other that allowed her to return but that was the longest three years of my life. Now get up and go back to your tribe, will ya?" They heard some shouts of Kouga's name in the distance. His tribesman Ginta and Hakkaku soon emerged from the forest where Shippo, Sango, and Miroku had. "Kouga, you found her! She really is back! She doesn't smell the same as she used to, though. Were you too late, Kouga?"

Kouga slowly got to his feet, looked at his fellow wolf youkai, and said "Let's go home, there is nothing we can do here." He then approached Kagome cautiously, keeping and eye on Inuyasha with every step. He took Kagome's hands and looked into her eyes. "If the mutt ever hurts you, I want to be the first you run to. He got his second chance to share his life with you, maybe my time is coming." He leaned closer to hug her lightly, but her new scent (not just the half-breed's scent on her, but _her_ scent which was now very much like that of inuyokai) stung his nose. As he heard Inuyasha's growl he whispered, "If it doesn't work out, you will always be welcome with us." He then turned and left with his comrades.

Inuyasha could not hold back his anger. "We are mated and he still wants to claim you. He's got some nerve. And why was he touching you! The next time he threatens our happiness, I will kill him." Kagome was still puzzled about Ginta and Hakkaku's comments. "What were they talking about, I don't smell the same? Do I need a bath?" Shippo, who was now perched on Kagome's shoulder, replied. "I don't think it is something that you can wash off, Kagome. You smell like Inuyasha right here, but your whole body smells different, now. It is almost like you are a half demon like Inuyasha, it is definitely the scent of Inuyokai. Your human smell is still pretty strong, but it is mixed with the smell of dog demon. Don't take this the wrong way, but you kinda smell like both Sesshomaru and his mother. Inuyasha's scent is the strongest on you, though. Like I said, it is concentrated right here..." The kitsune tried to show her where the scent was coming from, and moved her hair slightly. He caught sight of the mark on her neck, which was obviously the source of Inuyasha's scent that was radiating from her. His scent was all over her, but it was from her being close to him. This spot seemed to generate Inuyasha's scent, so even if he wasn't near, the scent would remain. Shippo's eyes looked suddenly sad. "My mother had a mark like that, my dad used to tell me that it was what let everyone else know that she had a family that loved her."


	9. Chapter 9

**Newlyweds:**

Kagome and Inuyasha invited everyone in for lunch, since they were already there. Kagome took the opportunity to try out her still questionable culinary skills, without the use of modern supplies. Inuyasha thought for a moment, "Hey, Kagome. Too bad you didn't know you were coming back here. You could have packed your bag full of ramen." Kagome offered a small laugh, but then went about preparing their meal. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were looking around the hut, wondering why it was arranged as it was. Inuyasha explained that it was to look like Kagome's bedroom in her own era. He added quietly, "I thought it would help her get used to life here, and she seemed really happy about it. But she misses her family a lot. Of course she won't admit it, but did you see the way she got all sad when I mentioned ramen? It's little stuff like that. Too bad her family couldn't have been here for the wedding." They all sat quietly for a while, not wanting to upset Kagome talking about the hut or anything that might remind her of the home she left behind.

Kagome soon brought the food and wondered, "What is everyone so quiet for? What do you guys think of our home? It was a total surprise, I had no idea Inuyasha was working on it." Miroku looked around thoughtfully. He looked at Inuyasha and said, "This hut sits just right on the hill, if you take down a few of the trees between here and the shrine, build a bridge over the stream with the wood, Kagome won't be far from Kaede." Turning to Kagome he added, "How is your training coming along?" Kagome's face brightened. "Yeah, you got here too late to see that, huh? I was able to make a really good barrier. Kouga was not happy when he got here. He kept saying that he was going to kill Inuyasha." Inuyasha folded his arms in his sleeves and said smugly, "Heh, I'd like to see him try." Kagome just shook her head, and sat next to her husband to continue the story. She had told them of each barrier, and how Kouga had finally given up. "It was so much easier than during training, maybe I was just trying too hard. When I needed to make the barrier, I barely had to think about it. It took no concentration at all, really."

When they had finished with lunch, Shippo looked at Kagome, sadness back in his eyes. There was also curiosity. He glanced at her neck, though her hair was covering the mark. "So, Kagome, how did you get that mark like my mother's?" Inuyasha and Kagome both turned red and looked at each other, not sure how, or even _if_ to answer. Shippo still looked at them curiously, and Sango and Miroku were trying not too, so they decided they better say something. Kagome got close to Shippo, trying to focus on him and ignore the couple that were trying to _look_ like they were ignoring her. "Well, Inuyasha and I are married now. We exchanged vows during the ceremony saying we were going to stay with each other no matter what. This mark will let youkai know that I am Inuyasha's wife, they don't pay attention to human ceremonies. It's like you said about your mother's mark, it will let others know that I have a family that loves me." Shippo seemed to accept that, for a moment. "But you guys are just you two, you don't really have a family." His eyes suddenly started to sparkle excitedly. "Kagome, does that mean that you and Inuyasha are going to make kids so you have a family that loves you? I could always use some more friends to play with!" Inuyasha almost spit out his food. He thought that Kagome did a good job trying to explain it, Shippo was just a kid after all. But he was caught off guard when the kitsune mentioned "make kids". Kagome recovered quickly. "This is our family, Shippo. You, and Sango and Miroku with their family, Kaede, Kirara, Rin. We are all a big family." Shippo looked a little disappointed. "Does that mean that I am not going to get any more friends to play with? Sango and Miroku, your kids are great. And I like playing with Rin. I just thought, why wouldn't you make kids? That is what Sango and Miroku did when they got married. That is what Mother and Father did." Inuyasha finished wiping the rice off his clothes and stood with his hands in his sleeves. "Listen, kid. Maybe Kagome and I want to spend some time together alone before we have an even bigger family. Whether we make kids or not is really none of your business."

Before the situation got too far out of hand, Kagome changed the subject. "What trees would give us a direct path to the village, Miroku? Can you tell us where the best place to build the bridge would be?" Sango, realizing what Kagome was trying to do, offered her help. "We have to get the kids from Kaede, and I'm sure Kagome and Inuyasha would like some privacy for today now that Kouga is gone. Why don't you show them quick so we can get back to the village?" Inuyasha and Shippo followed Miroku out of the hut, while Sango stayed behind to help clean up from lunch. "Thanks, Sango, I didn't know if they would drop the kids subject or not. Inuyasha is right, we should spend time together as husband and wife before we need to concentrate on being parents. How long was it for you and Miroku, Sango? When were the twins born?" Sango put the cover on the rice pot. "Actually, I was pregnant in our first week of marriage. As you know, Miroku had always wanted children, so he wasted no time starting a family. Speaking of which, I am sure Kaede and Rin have their hands full right now. I better get going. When do you commence your training?"

"First thing tomorrow, Kaede told Inuyasha this morning that I have today off. Give the kids my love, I will probably see you tomorrow." Sango was heading for the door, but stopped. She turned around and quickly moved Kagome's hair aside like Shippo had done. She studied the mark thoroughly, but briefly. "Sorry, I just wanted to get a better look. Is that Inuyasha's name?" Kagome blushed a little, "I haven't seen it, but that is what he said it looked like, though he wasn't quite sure. He said it is obviously a scar from a bite, but there are shapes and lines in the scar that look like they spell his name." Sango looked one more time. "I would say it is. If we both seen it like that it is probably not coincidence. Did... did it hurt?" She looked ashamed to have asked the question. Kagome shook her head, "Surprisingly, no. I barely felt it. He apologized like it must have been painful, but seconds after he bit me it was completely healed and just how it is now." Sango hesitated, then gave Kagome a hug. "I am so happy for the two of you. Miroku and I felt bad for Inuyasha when he came through the well without you. He said there were people in your own era that needed you, too. He looked lost for a while, and went to the well at least every three days to check for you. The day you returned, the twins were playing with his ears. He must have caught your scent and just ran as fast as he could, not saying a word to anyone. It is good to finally see him happy. Better not keep them waiting any longer." Sango left the hut, Kagome followed. Inuyasha, Shippo, and Miroku were standing on the hill pointing at trees. Inuyasha seen the women coming. "What were you two lagging behind for?" Kagome walked to him and leaned her head against his arm. "Just cleaning up. Is it going to take a lot of work to clear the path to the village?" "Nah, I could clear those trees in no time. I built this hut by myself, didn't I? Most of the time I spent on the original one I was human. It isn't that hard."

Sango and Miroku looked at each other and smiled. They said together, "So this is where you would come on the night of the new moon!" They finished up their planning and Sango, Shippo, and Miroku left to rescue Kaede and Kirara from the children.

Kagome and Inuyasha were alone once again. They walked around the clearing, hand in hand. Kagome broke the peaceful silence. "So do you think Kouga will finally leave us alone? He was pretty upset, do you think he will hold a grudge?" Inuyasha looked very annoyed that Kouga was the first thing she wanted to talk about. "Heh, who cares about that mangy wolf. I don't care of he does hold a grudge. It's not like we are going to need his help with anything. That was quite a barrier you put up."

"Yeah, I don't know where that came from. Must be the adrenaline of the situation made me focus a lot better than I was during training. I wish Kaede had seen that, I probably won't be able to do it again."

"What are you talking about, you did it over and over again, without even breaking a sweat! I think you underestimate your power. You know,..." Inuyasha trailed off, not sure whether now was a good time to mention Kikyo. Then he thought that she had just brought up Kouga, so why not. "Kikyo's powers got weaker when she, you know, got feelings for me. Priestesses aren't supposed to, well, get married for one. Kaede said that it seems like your powers are actually increasing because of our feelings for each other. I wonder why?" He waited for some rude remark about how he could be thinking of Kikyo on their first whole day of being husband and wife.

"Is that what you had talked to Kaede about when we told everyone we were getting married?"

"Yeah, I thought you would be really mad at me if I made you loose your powers. She said as long as we loved each other things would work out." Inuyasha turned to face Kagome and cupped her cheek. "Have I told you yet this morning that I love you?" Kagome leaned into his hand, "I never get tired of hearing it, so tell me whenever you feel like it." They kissed tenderly, then returned to their hut to show each other just how strong their love was.


	10. Chapter 10

**Family Adjustments:**

Jaken was still confused about the changes he had witnessed in his master. A few years ago, a blink of the eye in the life of a youkai, Lord Sesshomaru had shown no compassion, no sympathy, especially for any pesky humans. Not even for his own brother because he had human blood. Now he cared for an orphaned human girl as if she were his own daughter, and had attended the wedding of his half-breed (and still useless, in Jaken's opinion) brother and his human mate. "Master, I do not see why we had to witness that human ceremony. There were too many smelly humans in attendance and that annoying girl that is your ward would not stop talking to me. What do we care of the fate of your worthless, weak, half-breed brother and his young, and somewhat immature, human miko?"

Jaken had not realized that his master had stopped until he had run into the back of Lord Sesshomaru's leg. He looked up at his master and witnessed an icy glare that sent chills up his spine. Quietly, and quite composed, Sesshomaru replied to his vassal's query. "Jaken, the strength and will that both Inuyasha and Kagome have shown on multiple occasions are enough to earn our respect. I am sure Father would have been quite proud of them both, and would have given them his blessing at the human ceremony if he were able. Kagome, being only human, is indeed quite young compared to you or I, but she is the human I have the most respect for. She is quite suitable to mate with the hanyou. If things had turned out differently in the final battle with Naraku and Inuyasha had not survived, this Sesshomaru would have offered to care for and protect her because she deserves nothing less."

Jaken stared, speechless, as Sesshomaru summoned his cloud and because of his shock he was nearly left behind. He couldn't help to think 'It almost sounds as if Lord Sesshomaru would have accepted Kagome as _his_ mate... After all these years of harboring such disrespect for his father's affection for humans, is he following in his father's footsteps after all?' They remained silent for the remainder of their journey. As soon as they reached the family palace in the Western Lands, Jaken sought the audience of Lord Sesshomaru's mother.

Souta was walking home when some older kids came up to him. "Hey, Souta. Think you can introduce me to your hot sister?"

"Sorry, she left right after high school to get married."

"That's quick..."

"Yeah, um... She had been seeing the guy for years, but he didn't live around here. She couldn't wait to be done with school so she could be with him for good."

"Oh, I guess that's OK, then"

They had reached the steps and Souta spotted Grandpa. In an attempt to stop the conversation about his sister, who he missed terribly, he started talking to Grandpa and the older boys left. Grandpa could see that something was wrong and had a good idea what it was.

"We all miss her, Souta. I'm sure she misses us too."

"She didn't even love us enough to stay with us, I doubt she misses us that much."

"Now you know that isn't true, Souta." His mother's voice caught him off guard and he spun around in shock. "She loves us all, and she loves Inuyasha as well. You seen the same as the rest of us how lost she seemed without him. If you were in the same situation I'm sure you would have done the same thing. We mustn't be selfish and wish she stayed here for our sake. We still have each other, and she knows that we are not alone. I'm sure she wishes there was a way for us to all be together, but we all know Inuyasha had some serious difficulty fitting in here. She had other friends there as well, that older priestess, the monk and the slayer, and that little fox youkai that she looked after when his parents were no longer around. She made a very tough decision but knew in her heart where she was needed the most."

As she turned and started up the steps, the tears welled up in her eyes started to fall, and Souta and Grandpa both knew that she was the one who missed Kagome the most. Not only had she lost her husband after what seemed like only a few short years, she had lost her daughter too soon as well. That night, thinking about her daughter she had gone to the Sacred Tree and cried alone. She remembered all the stories that Kagome would tell of the feudal era, how dangerous it was. She was aware that with Naraku and the jewel gone, it wouldn't be as dangerous. There were youkai and many other dangers there that didn't exist on this side of the well, and she couldn't help but fear for Kagome's safety. _"She is a powerful priestess and has Inuyasha to protect her, she's going to be fine."_ She tried to reassure herself the best she could, but random fears would pop into her mind all on their own. _"What about very strong youkai, wasn't Inuyasha's brother very powerful and an enemy? Didn't he try to kill Inuyasha AND Kagome in the past?... Yes, but I think the last I had heard of him from Kagome was that they were on the same side, and he had changed. She should be fine."_ She placed her hand on the scar of the tree where Kagome had found Inuyasha pinned by the sacred arrow, and softly said her daughter's name.


	11. Chapter 11

**A Small Family Reunion**

Inuyasha's ears twitched, was that just the wind? "Kagome, did you hear anything just now?" She looked up from her herb-gathering, "No, what was I supposed to hear?" Inuyasha starting sniffing the air, and he thought that he caught a very faint scent. It couldn't be, could it? "Hurry, get on!"

"Is there something wrong?"

"I don't know, I just caught a familiar scent. Hold on!"

He started to run as fast as he could, following the scent. When he got close enough, he realized that it wasn't coming from the well. He followed the scent to the tree. Shortly after they had reached the tree, Sango (carrying her son), Miroku (leading the twins by the hands), Shippo, and Kirara were there as well. They had heard the commotion and thought, like Kagome, that something was wrong. Inuyasha was looking at and sniffing the tree, then Kagome seemed to be drawn to it. She had a strong feeling that her mother was near.

"Mom?"

"Ka... Kagome? Is that really you?"

Inuyasha smelled the tears, not only of his mate but of her mother as well. Slowly, a light fog appeared and solidified until it was in the shape of a woman. As Kaede came into view, so did Kagome's mother. Kagome just stared for a moment, trying to decide whether her mother was actually there. Then she could hold back no longer and ran to the woman and embraced her.

"Oh, Mom, I miss you so much! How did you get here?"

"I was thinking about you, and I placed my hand on the Sacred Tree. It was the scar where you first found Inuyasha, and I just wanted to see how you were doing." She turned to Inuyasha, and gave him a hug while saying, "Don't worry, dear, I know you would never let anything bad happen to her. I just worry about my little girl."

Shippo slowly walked up to the crying woman. He jumped into Kagome's arms and tried to get a better look at the stranger. Kagome's mother noticed the movement and looked at the kitsune in her daughter's arms. "Well, hi there. Aren't you cute?"

"You're Kagome's mother, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. You must be Shippo, Kagome told me so much about you." She turned to the rest of their audience. "And you must be Sango, and you're Miroku, right? What lovely children you have. This cute two-tailed cat must be Kirara." She patted the cat on the head. "And you, you must be Kaede. I am so grateful you were here to help my daughter. She has so much respect for you, and I am so glad you were here to help her understand what was going on."

"I am honored to be here for Kagome, and I know how much she missed ye every time she returned here from your time. Might I ask, though, how are ye here? I am only concerned that ye will not be able to get back."

"I, well, I don't know. I just placed my hand on the tree and called Kagome's name. I didn't know I was really here until I heard Kagome's voice. I am not sure how I got here, or how I am supposed to get back..."

A monotone voice was suddenly behind the group. "I am sure as the well opened to allow the miko through when she had reason to, it will allow you to return to the rest of your family. The well seems to open when passage is required, I am sure this will be on of those occasions."

"Oh my. You... You must be-"

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin came running up to her father-figure and hugged his leg. "Did you bring me anything?"

"Not this time, Rin, I was just passing through and caught an odd scent. I just wanted to see if it was what it seemed to be." He turned to Kagome and Inuyasha, who were standing on either side of a very speechless Mrs. Higurashi. He hesitated a moment and glanced at the woman, then stood in front of Kagome. He inhaled deeply, then a very faint smile shown briefly on his otherwise emotionless face. He turned to Inuyasha, and said simply, "You have been busy, little brother." He turned back to the smiling Rin, and asked if she was doing as she was told. "Oh, yes, Lord Sesshomaru! And now Kagome is working with Lady Kaede and I as well. I have worked hard and try to remember everything. It makes me feel good to help the people in the village."

Lord Sesshomaru took one more look at the young miko, and her still-speechless mother. Then he called to Jaken who had been hiding from the humans during the conversation and was on his way. After a few blinks, Mrs. Higurashi slowly regained her voice. "So, do you think I can go back through the well? I wonder how much time I have to spend with you?"

"It is getting rather late, do you think the tree will take you back?" Miroku looked at the scar on the Sacred Tree. He could feel nothing coming from it, no spiritual energy, no aura of any kind.

"I don't know, but I didn't even tell Grandpa or Souta that I was leaving the house. I hope they don't worry."

"Mom, maybe you should try to put your hand on the tree and call their names. I would feel really bad if you were stuck here..."

"But I just got here, and I miss you. I know you must miss us as well, but it's just that... you grew up so fast!" She grabbed her daughter in another hug, and Inuyasha placed his hand on his mother-in-law's shoulder. She looked up at him with reddened eyes, and smiled. "Now, tell me you two are happily married and I am going to have some grandchildren."

Both Inuyasha and Kagome blushed.

Shippo was the one that spoke up. "I know Kagome and Inuyasha really wanted to have you here for the wedding, too bad they couldn't have told you when it was. Then you could have gotten here then. And I told them they should have kids, too. Then I would have more kids to play with."

"Oh, so you are married? I knew you two were meant for each other, since the first time Inuyasha came to get you." There was now a happy smile on the woman's face.

_"MOM! Grandpa, I don't see her! Are you sure she didn't go to the store or something?"_

"Was that Souta?" Kagome turned towards the voice. It had been faint, but it was not coming from the tree.

Inuyasha's ears had followed the sound when he heard it, that sounded like it was coming from the well.

Miroku looked at the three recently reunited family members and remembered that Kagome had jumped into the well quickly when it reopened so she didn't miss her chance to return. "Kirara, why don't you take them to the well as quickly as you can? It might close at any time."

In a flash Kirara was transformed (earning a frightened squeal from Mrs. Higurashi) and she was taking the couple and the woman towards the voices from the future. When they got there, the voices were louder. Grandpa was just saying that maybe they should call around and see if anyone had seen her when Mrs. Higurashi called to him. "I am coming, don't panic!" One last hug from her daughter and son-in-law and she was jumping into the well. Neither Kagome or Inuyasha dared to get too close, but she understood. They all watched as the familiar glow appeared brightly, then faded.

They were all getting ready to return to the village when they seen another flash, then heard a loud "Sis!" and Kagome was knocked to the ground. Souta looked around briefly, and noticed everyone standing around him. When his eyes landed on the still transformed Kirara, they looked like they were going to pop right out of his head. All he could manage was "Whoa..." Then Shippo went up to him and introduced himself. "Hey, you must be Kagome's kid brother. I'm Shippo, and you should come here as often as you can and play with me because _they_ don't want to have children right away!"

Inuyasha bopped Shippo on the head. "How do we know he isn't going to get stuck here, runt? He needs to get home while the well is still working."

"Awww, Kagome, do I have to?"

"Yes, Souta, you don't want to get stuck here and risk leaving Mom worrying about you on the other side."

"But she came through, first!"

"Actually," Miroku spoke up, "the Sacred Tree brought her here. The well is how she got home. You'd better hurry."

"Alright. We really miss you, Sis." He gave her another hug. "And we miss you, too, Inuyasha. Even Grandpa does, but he won't admit it."

"We miss you too, kid." Inuyasha said ruffling the boy's hair.

"Bye, everybody!" he shouted then jumped into the well. They were all relieved when the glow appeared again.

Inuyasha turned to Kagome, kissed her on the forehead, then said "It's getting late, what do you say we go home?"


End file.
